As a lifelong Lawrencian, Shannon has fond memories of visiting the Watkins as a child and being fascinated with the collections. Shannon’s interest in local history was deepened in 2012 when research on her historic home revealed intriguing stories of early Lawrence families. In 2017 she founded the Friends of Oak Hill Cemetery, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Lawrence’s historic city cemetery, that is now a special programming committee of the Watkins. Shannon is an experienced educator and enjoys engaging with children of all ages. Her goal is to provide meaningful learning experiences through contextual curriculum and by providing opportunities for youth to explore the rich history of the Lawrence community. Shannon holds a bachelor’s degree in social welfare from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Colorado-Denver.